Hey this is Shane Vander Hart.
I wanted to make a special announcement about the future of Caffeinated Thoughts Radio. We have had the great privilege of being on local Christian radio for the last three-and-a-half years. It has been a great opportunity, and we’ve had a lot of fun. This week I decided to take Caffeinated Thoughts Radio off the air. This is effective immediately, I apologize for the abruptness of this move, but I felt it was best to pull the trigger rather than go a week or two more.
The primary driver for this decision is that, at this time, it does not make good fiscal sense for us to continue. This fiscal year was stretching us financially. If you are not aware the model for Christian talk radio is unlike other formats. To be on Christian radio you have to “pay to play.” Rates went up this year, but sponsorship, unfortunately, did not. That isn’t to say we have not had generous sponsors, we have.
I would like to thank Myers and Associates, American Principles Project, Iowa Right to Life, Travis Risvold with Modern Woodmen of America, and Crosswalk Counseling for their generous support. Without their support, the last three-and-a-half years would not have been possible.
I would also like to thank Chris Rohloff, the station manager of 99.3fm The Truth who took a chance with us and gave us an opportunity to have a radio show. I’m also grateful for the encouragement and coaching he gave us along the way. I’m also extremely thankful for Ron Carlson who produced our show. He literally kept the wheels on the bus. He took care of the technical aspects of putting the show together so I didn’t have to. I’m going to miss spending Friday mornings with him in the studio.
I’m also thankful for my co-host Brian Myers, someone once called us the “Click and Clack of Christian talk radio” and I think the description is apt. Brian had to roll back his involvement the last couple of months and I can tell you it wasn’t as fun to do the show without him. I’m so appreciative of the time and effort he put forward making the show happen.
I’m also thankful for our listeners. I’m not sure how many there are, but I do hear from you from time to time which is a lot of fun. Thanks for making us a part of your weekly routine.
I’m also thankful for my family for their patience and sacrifice as I pursued this show. Needless to say, this was never a paying gig and spending four to five hours a week making the show happen is no small thing. Without their support, I wouldn’t have been able to do this.
Most of all, I’m thankful to God for His provision, His traveling mercies traveling to the studio in Boone and then Des Moines when we moved there, for the people he allowed me to meet along the way, and for His wisdom and guidance as we considered show topics. My hope is that this effort was pleasing to Him and that some were ministered to in the process.
What’s next?
We may be going off the air, but Caffeinated Thoughts Radio is not going away for good. I will be taking a brief hiatus and then we’ll reboot this as a podcast. I’m still considering the format, length, and frequency so stay tuned. If you have subscribed to the radio show’s podcast already just keep your subscription, we’ll be using the same channels (and may be adding Podbean as well. We have a channel, but I haven’t done anything with it yet). Our podcast can currently be heard on iTunes, Google Play Music, Stitcher, TuneIn, or on your Android-based phone.
So, God willing, we will be back online with the podcast in a few weeks and perhaps in the future, we’ll even be back on the air, but I have peace about this new direction.